The Newcastle manager had harboured ambitions of mounting another sustained challenge on the Premiership following last season's third-place finish but his hopes soon evaporated.

The St James' Park resources were only bolstered by the arrival on a free transfer of controversial midfielder Lee Bowyer and, to compound matters, Newcastle failed to reach the Champions League group stage and made a poor start to the season.

With the transfer window due to re-open next month, Robson is keen to strengthen his squad with two new faces as he sets his sights on finishing fourth behind Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, who finished fourth last term.

"In the summer for us to do better we perhaps needed two players but we didn't move and that became a bit scary because of the start we had," Robson said. "We have recovered favourably since but, if it was financially possible, we still could do with two players.

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"At the end of last season, we did not think we wanted anyone because we had bought Jonathan Woodgate, Titus Bramble and Hugo Viana and spent quite a bit. Now we just have to do what is necessary.

"The chairman is aware of that but the pressure mounted when we lost a couple of games we didn't expect and found ourselves out of the Champions League when we didn't think we would be. We have slowly inched our way back and are beginning to show a little bit of the consistency we had last year."

Newcastle, who have been linked with a move for Tottenham's Stephen Carr, will travel to London to face Charlton Athletic tomorrow with captain Alan Shearer on course for his best goals tally since he joined the club in 1996.

Shearer has netted 16 times this season and needs one more to give him his best pre-Christmas strike rate since 1999 when he scored 30.

"Alan is as potent a striker as when I first arrived. He does not appear to have lost anything and has been prolific every season," Robson said.

"He has been on a wonderful run since I restored him to the team but he would probably agree that he has better players around him and the ability of our wide people is important because he's a great box player.

"Like Alan, Shola Ameobi needs to get on the goals trail. He needs to learn from Alan about getting on the back post, spinning defenders and taking his chances."